Manatee students weigh in on coach

Published: Friday, February 8, 2013 at 10:01 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 8, 2013 at 10:01 p.m.

BRADENTON - When they heard that their high school football coach is being investigated for allegations of misconduct with a female student, the students of Manatee High School immediately processed the news on the Internet.

They were angry, denying and fiercely local. They were gloating and vindictive. They argued over who knew Frazier best, and whether he is innocent of allegations that include groping a young girl and asking her for a nude photograph.

But what Manatee High School students didn't express in long-winded Facebook threads and emotion-filled tweets was surprise that Rod Frazier is being investigated.

More than a half-dozen students and teachers have painted varying pictures of Frazier to the Herald-Tribune. But almost all agreed it was an open secret at Manatee High School that Frazier crossed boundaries with students that other teachers did not.

The administration, they say, tolerates his behavior.

Sources asked not to be named, some for fear of repercussions from Frazier, others because they didn't want to involve themselves in the situation.

Students and teachers say that Frazier regularly texted students on their cellphones. He favored females and athletes, sometimes buying them lunch or coffee and getting them out of detention.

It was common knowledge that Frazier would pull his favorite students out of class and let them hang out in his office, sources said.

“I think anyone in the office could tell you he's frequently pulling girls out of class,” a current student told the Herald-Tribune.

A 20-year-old Manatee High School alumnae said she had never experienced anything similar to the student who alleged that Frazier harassed her in a letter she wrote to the district on Jan. 9.

“We had a strong relationship, but it was never sexual or weird,” the student said. “He was like a father figure, the kind of guy that would tell you to straighten up your grades.”

The student said there were rumors of Frazier flirting with students, or even other teachers, and that he pulled girls and boys that he was fond of out of class.

She said she thought that was just a result of a tight-knit athletic community. “We all were really close,” she said.

The same student said she gave Frazier her number her junior year, and they often texted about the recruitment process. He'd later show her how to email coaches, narrow her school choices and make a recruiting video.

“Maybe he was doing those things,” she said of the allegations, “and was just not like that to me.”

Other sources told the Herald-Tribune that Frazier made them uncomfortable.

One 17-year-old student, who didn't tell her parents about Frazier's behavior because she didn't think they would believe her, described a man who could turn against students that rebuffed him.

“He was instantly nice,” said this student, who met Frazier when she was a sophomore. “You'd get on his good side and he'd pull you out of class — you could hang out in his office for hours.”

She said she accepted a Facebook friend request from Frazier and maintained a friendly relationship with the coach. But when Frazier sent her a request to connect on the video-conferencing program Skype, she became uncomfortable and told her friends she was “creeped out.”

When Frazier found out, she said, he pulled her out of class and yelled at her, saying “It's not like I'm trying to sleep with you.”

Then, the student said, he showed her an article of a coach getting fired for sexual contact with a student.

“This isn't going to happen to me,” she said he told her.

On Facebook Friday morning, the discussion continued, and a group of girls turned against other girls for criticizing the coach that used to get them out of detentions. Girls called each other liars.

“I think this is going to hurt him,” said the athlete who has graduated. “I think he grew too fond of people and people took that the wrong way.”

The Manatee County School District has discussed adopting a social media policy for two years, but no policy exists.

<p><em>BRADENTON</em> - When they heard that their high school football coach is being investigated for allegations of misconduct with a female student, the students of Manatee High School immediately processed the news on the Internet.</p><p>They were angry, denying and fiercely local. They were gloating and vindictive. They argued over who knew Frazier best, and whether he is innocent of allegations that include groping a young girl and asking her for a nude photograph.</p><p>But what Manatee High School students didn't express in long-winded Facebook threads and emotion-filled tweets was surprise that Rod Frazier is being investigated.</p><p>More than a half-dozen students and teachers have painted varying pictures of Frazier to the Herald-Tribune. But almost all agreed it was an open secret at Manatee High School that Frazier crossed boundaries with students that other teachers did not.</p><p>The administration, they say, tolerates his behavior.</p><p>Sources asked not to be named, some for fear of repercussions from Frazier, others because they didn't want to involve themselves in the situation.</p><p>Students and teachers say that Frazier regularly texted students on their cellphones. He favored females and athletes, sometimes buying them lunch or coffee and getting them out of detention.</p><p>It was common knowledge that Frazier would pull his favorite students out of class and let them hang out in his office, sources said.</p><p>“I think anyone in the office could tell you he's frequently pulling girls out of class,” a current student told the Herald-Tribune. </p><p>A 20-year-old Manatee High School alumnae said she had never experienced anything similar to the student who alleged that Frazier harassed her in a letter she wrote to the district on Jan. 9.</p><p>“We had a strong relationship, but it was never sexual or weird,” the student said. “He was like a father figure, the kind of guy that would tell you to straighten up your grades.”</p><p>The student said there were rumors of Frazier flirting with students, or even other teachers, and that he pulled girls and boys that he was fond of out of class.</p><p>She said she thought that was just a result of a tight-knit athletic community. “We all were really close,” she said.</p><p>The same student said she gave Frazier her number her junior year, and they often texted about the recruitment process. He'd later show her how to email coaches, narrow her school choices and make a recruiting video.</p><p>“Maybe he was doing those things,” she said of the allegations, “and was just not like that to me.” </p><p>Other sources told the Herald-Tribune that Frazier made them uncomfortable.</p><p>One 17-year-old student, who didn't tell her parents about Frazier's behavior because she didn't think they would believe her, described a man who could turn against students that rebuffed him.</p><p>“He was instantly nice,” said this student, who met Frazier when she was a sophomore. “You'd get on his good side and he'd pull you out of class — you could hang out in his office for hours.”</p><p>She said she accepted a Facebook friend request from Frazier and maintained a friendly relationship with the coach. But when Frazier sent her a request to connect on the video-conferencing program Skype, she became uncomfortable and told her friends she was “creeped out.”</p><p>When Frazier found out, she said, he pulled her out of class and yelled at her, saying “It's not like I'm trying to sleep with you.”</p><p>Then, the student said, he showed her an article of a coach getting fired for sexual contact with a student.</p><p>“This isn't going to happen to me,” she said he told her.</p><p>On Facebook Friday morning, the discussion continued, and a group of girls turned against other girls for criticizing the coach that used to get them out of detentions. Girls called each other liars.</p><p>“I think this is going to hurt him,” said the athlete who has graduated. “I think he grew too fond of people and people took that the wrong way.”</p><p>The Manatee County School District has discussed adopting a social media policy for two years, but no policy exists.</p>